


Look Before You Leap

by Brate



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen, Humor, Old West, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-01
Updated: 2013-07-01
Packaged: 2017-12-16 17:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/864857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brate/pseuds/Brate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris charges in where others fear to tread.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Look Before You Leap

Chris left his horse in Yosemite's care, and stalked down Main Street toward the jail. He was annoyed that his stay in Watsonville had been extended three extra days. He surely would've heard of anything important occurring in his absence, but he didn't feel comfortable leaving his fellow regulators short-handed. 

He laughed at himself, thinking how far he'd come from the reclusive loner he had been just a year ago. A majority of the townspeople might argue that he was still fairly hostile, but he no longer felt the never-ending pressure of guilt and sadness that had overwhelmed him for so long. Now Chris had a town to look after and friends to watch his back. 

Thank God his arrival at the jailhouse interrupted his musings as he walked inside to find JD hunched over a set of papers—wanted posters?—scribbling furiously.

Chris was oddly proud when his barked, "JD," didn't startle the young man. JD simply looked up, nodded a greeting, and returned to his work. 

"Awfully quiet in town," Chris remarked. 

"That's 'cause Buck ain't around, flapping his jaw."

"Where is he?"

JD was still bent over the desk, answering Chris' questions in a preoccupied manner. Chris would be insulted his return wasn't worthy enough, but this was one of the quirks of Dunne—he tended to be extremely focused, obsessed, with certain projects, and forget other things were happening. 

"He, Josiah, and Ezra went out to the Webber Homestead to help fix their corral." 

"Ezra volunteered to go with them?" Chris asked incredulously. 

JD gave a distracted nod. "Well, with Vin laid up at Nathan's, they needed the extra help." 

"What?" Chris didn't wait for an explanation, just rushed out the door and made a beeline for Nathan's clinic. Running up the stairs two and three at a time, Chris swung the door open without noticing the sign. 

Nathan was nowhere to be seen. But there was a lump on the bed, a figure buried under several blankets. Chris carefully walked over, and quietly ventured, "Vin?"

"Aw, hell, Larabee. You finally back?" There was a rough cough, then, "Go the hell away."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Just achy and tired. And you yapping at me don't help none." Vin was hiding under his woolen mountain, and Chris needed to see him to prove he was okay. 

"Come on, Vin. I want to talk to you." Chris gently tugged at a blanket, surprised at the resistance he encountered. 

"Go away, Chris. I'll see ya in a couple days." Another cough. "I'm surprised Nate even let you in."

"He's not here," Chris answered easily, "so it's not like he could stop me."

The lump stilled. "You mean ya came in here without permission?"

"What's the big deal? I always do." 

Vin sighed, quickly turning into another cough. "You didn't happen to notice a posting on the door, did ya?" 

Chris shrugged. "No. What'd it say?"

"It said, 'Keep Out,'" a new voice replied.

Whirling, Chris saw Nathan standing at the door, hands on his hips, a frown marring his usually smiling face.

"Sorry, Nate. JD said Vin was hurt."

"And so yer brain shut down and you busted in without thinking," Nathan said. "Well, now yer here. Maybe for a while," he added under his breath.

"What are you talking about?"

Nathan shook the lump containing the sharpshooter. "Vin, come on outta there."

"Don't wanna," the lump mumbled.

"Vin, keep acting like a child, and I'll fetch Miss Nettie, and she'll bring her switch."

A loud sigh and the mound started to untwist. Finally a head poked out.

Chris burst out laughing. "What the hell happened to you?"

Vin was covered in angry red dots—chicken pox, Chris realized. 

"Had to go out to the Webbers, and Miz Webber didn't know James was comin' down with 'em," Vin grumbled then coughed.

"Adam ever have 'em?" Nate asked, eyeing Chris strangely. 

"Oh yeah, but I hadn't," Chris said. "So Sarah kicked me outta the house, and I ended up staying with Buck for a week..." He suddenly realized what he'd just said. "Dammit to hell!"

"Welcome to the pox party." Vin grinned.


End file.
